But someone forgot to tell the 10 Tasmanian State League club presidents.

They will be told at a meeting at Campbell Town today.

"I'm shocked," North Launceston president Thane Brady said. "I'm looking forward to hearing the details and how it effects Tassie footy. Until then I'll keep my powder dry."

Next month's annual meeting of the AFL Tasmania board will be its last.

The operation of football in the state will not change, with chief executive Scott Wade running the show and Shaun Young (TSL general manager) and Nick Probert (general manager of Community Football) as his key colleagues.

The AFL said yesterday it was "focused on supporting AFL Tasmania's objective of ensuring football has a meaningful impact throughout the state".

The State League is Tasmania's premier football competition and every year produces AFL players .

Off the field, AFL Tasmania has been through the ringer over the past two years.

It has copped flak for turfing Hobart and North Hobart from the competition and forming two new clubs in the south, and at a parliamentary committee hearing into how it spends its annual $500,000 in Government funding.

The 2014 TSL season kicks off on April 5 with the new Launceston team, Western Storm, taking on Devonport at Aurora Stadium.

Comments on this story

Another AFL decision without discussion with the Tasmanian stakeholders. This move should be considered with extreme care, or we could become just another tick in the AFLs scalps list.

Leonard Colquhoun of Launceston Posted at 9:49 AM March 13, 2014

Although reactions like Comment 1's "A great move!" are understandable, football in Tasmania needs a 'caveat emptor' approach because centralising administration and control has serious drawbacks, particularly by decisions being taken by people far away who are not au fait with local conditions, heritage and feelings. (Actually, 'change 'football in Tasmania' to 'everything in Tasmania', and the warning applies to everything we do.)

Tony Charge of Hobart Posted at 7:47 AM March 13, 2014

A great move! This should remove the 'them and us' mindset that has existed for so long between clubs and AFL Tasmania - and inject renewal and growth strategies so badly needed. Funds must be in the hands of clubs to survive and grow. When the AFL is growing and Tassie football and Tassie footballers are so good, clubs should not be struggling to grow.